News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-02-17
THE BEAR WAS AMIABLE,
But John Crawford Disturbed 1t, with
Damaging Results TO Himself.

FISHERS MILLS, Pa. 1t having been
reported that Spruce Swamp, q dense
| growth of evergreens and underbrush
three miles from this settlement. in the
north Pennsylvania lumber woods, was
| literally overrun with rabbits, John
Crawford and John Slater, emp ovees
of the Fisher Lumber Company, went
out early on Christmas day to have a
rabbit hunt. They found the game
fully as abundant as had been reported,
and having bagged large number of
rabbits. ey sat down on log to eat
their luncheon before indulging any
further in the sport. They had finished
their luncheon and were enjoying a
quiet smoke, when their dog, a small
yellow whifilt, began to bristle up and
growl TIL hunters looked in the direc-
ton that seemed to attract the attention
of the dog, and were startled to see
a bear sitting on its launches on a little
rise of ground, not more than thirty
PAGES distant. It was cycling the two
hunters impudently. but manifested no
hostile inclination. In fact, according
to Slater, 1t seemed to be enjoying the
proximity of the two men, and acted as
though it might join the group if in
vited 1t was only when the dog
snapped and snarled louder than usual
that the bear showed any evidence of
annoyance. Slater was for seeking
some other part of the woods at once
and leaving the amiable but cheeky bear
in peaceful possession of that particular
spot, but Crawford, after recovering
from the start the discovery of the bear
gave him, was inclined to resent the in
trusion ON their siesta, and expressed
his intention to load bruin with shot
Giles near enough for me to wing
him with the shot we're using, if they
are SMALL" said Crawford 'tHe'l run,
anyhow, as soon as he hears the gun.
Bears are terrible towards"
Crawford prepared TO give the bear
salute, Notwithstanding the protests of
his companion. Seeing that Crawford
was bound to fire, Slater began to pick
out an ca Y direction IN which to seek
other parts.
Hold on" said Crawford. 'Tu
give him load in his nose, and then
just watch him run"
The bear had not moved, and the
deadly intent of the confident hunter
had not affected its amiable manner in
the least
'Now watch him runl' said Craw-
ford, pulling up and blazing away at
the bears nose. And bruin did run
But not the way Crawford calculated
on. The bear ran directly toward the
hunters They both dropped their
guns, and it was but the work of few
seconds for Crawford to shin it up one
tree and for Slater to find the branches
of another. The bear made directly for
Crawford's tree, and got under it just
as the mistaken hunter reach the lower
branch and was pulling himself up in it.
The branch broke, and Crawford fell
ten feet, and struck with his back across
the back of the bear Crawford is a
man weighing $50 pounds, and that
weight falling from such a height on
the bear knocked it fiat on the ground.
1t was such an unexpected accident to
the bear that it seemed to fill the animal
with alarm and without waiting TO pay
any attention to the hunter, it crawled
out from under him and hurried away
into the woods as rapidly as it could.
The dog fed at the first charge of the
bear. and has not been seen since.
Slater, in his tree, saw that Crawford |
did not get up, but lay groaning where
he had dropped. Slater hurried to his
assistance. Crawford was SO badly |
hurt in his spine that he was unable to
rise, and his weight was such that his
was unable to aid him, and |
was obliged to come all the way into |
the Mills for assistance Crawford lay |
under the tree for an hour and a half |
DR. Graves, of Springville, who was
called, says that Crawford's injury is so
serious that it will probably cripple |
h ~, for lira